Marking Time in the Gallery
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news from 185 bath street Summer 2014 No 40 THE GLASGOW ART CLUB NEWSLETTER President’s Column Marking time Gallery Matters wenty one years ago, in 1993, our Gallery was one hundred years old. To in the Gallery Tmark the occasion the Club organised a wonderful art exhibition that spanned those one hundred years. I attended the black tie dinner on the opening night and I still have the limited edition catalogue, signed by the other diners at my table. As an exhibition it was a cracker. Covering the years 1893 to 1993 it included paintings by Sir James Guthrie, George Henry, Leslie Hunter, William Crosbie, and Hugh Adam Crawford as well as contemporary artist members of that time like David Donaldson, John Cunningham and Alexander Goudie. For the sake of brevity my list omits many other wonderful artists. Now twenty one years later we are looking forward to the opening of our newly refurbished gallery. The opening exhibition in November will again feature works by members past and present. To ensure a fabulous exhibition a call has gone out for members to contribute a work from their own collection to this inaugural show. Once again let us enjoy the works of Donaldson, Goudie, Robertson and Hood to name but a few who are no longer with us. Before I close I would like to quote from the catalogue of the 1993 exhibition. In an interview with Roger Billcliffe, past President and celebrated Scottish artist John Cunningham reminisces about the club he loves. embers had a chance to review hanging area. The trustees are confident that He mentions many of the famous characters progress on the restoration project all will be in order for the opening dinner and personalities that he has had the pleasure Mwhen Glasgow’s civic leaders visited scheduled for November 22 (spaces remaining to have known, he comments on how the the Club in May. The door to the Gallery, are in single figures and are expected to go club has evolved over the time he has been a closed for over a year, was opened to allow soon, so book now, otherwise, keep an eye member, but it is of the lay members that he Lord Provost Sadie Docherty to place a time out for any cancellations). concludes his interview. capsule of 2014 mementos under the relaid I quote..... floor, while Celia Sinclair, the trustee who has Pictured above are Glasgow’s Lord Provost “The lay membership is still a vital part of overseen the day-to-day work, was on hand to Sadie Docherty, with Lord and Lady Macfarlane, the Club, enlightened, supportive in every explain just what had been done to carry out President Robert Kelsey, and chairman of the way, both in economic and moral terms. structural repairs to roof and fabric and fit the GAC Property Company, Paul Dowds, with the The liaison between the artist and lay building for a further century of service to the time capsule. Also present were Glasgow’s membership is still as effective today as it was arts in the city. second and third citizens, Lord Dean of when we moved into this building a hundred Work can now start on the redecoration Guild Raymond Williamson (immediate past years ago.” which will make the building one of Glasgow’s president of GAC) and Hamish C Brodie, I say “hear-hear” to that. major attractions, particularly when the fabled Deacon Convener. More pictures and details Mackintosh frieze is back in place above the of the time capsule contents on pages 4-5. 1 YOU’LL HAVE YOUR TOSHIE TEA AGAIN! THREE CHAIRS FOR IAIN ust five weeks after the Black Friday close eye on progress and standards. when the Club was stunned by the Now she is combining her experience news of the GSA fire, diners were in property development with her love of t’s a year since the indefatigable Iain delighted to hear that a rescue the world-famous artist’s work through McGlashan organised the removal of Joperation was under way for another the formation of the Celia Sinclair furniture from the Gallery and set important part of Glasgow’s Mackintosh Charitable Trust. It aims to raise the about ensuring that members will be legacy. The Willow Tearooms, last survivor £400,000 estimated to preserve the fabric Isitting comfortably when the Club returns of Kate Cranston’s chain of elegant of the distinctive building in Sauchiehall to full activity in the autumn. eating places, had been threatened with St, at one time part of Daly’s, Glasgow’s First, the surviving Balmoral chairs, the closure: now a buyer has been found poshest department store. A further half brown leather ones whose backs were to assure its future – none other than million could be needed to conserve and broken by constant mishandling, have our own Celia Sinclair. (see page 4) restore the CRM features which have Celia was one of the first to join when the been lost or damaged over the years. been reinforced and re-studded by a local Club opened its doors to women in 1983 but Joining her on the board are accountant firm (The Chairman of Bearsden) ready allowed her membership to lapse. When she Efric McNeil, former treasurer and now for their return to the Gallery. was persuaded to rejoin round the turn of lay vice-president of the Club, art dealer Then a set of 48 new Chippendale-style the century, she found the atmosphere much and Mackintosh expert Roger Billcliffe, ladder-backs, including a proportion of more congenial, and soon took a special and former hotelier Mandy Ford who has armed carvers, has been bought for the interest in the plans for redevelopment. Now valuable experience of the tourist industry. dining room and these are now being one of the Trustees of the GAC Property Like any astute businesswoman, Celia upholstered in Bolton. Finally a discreet Company, she has taken an active part in is not yet prepared to discuss the detail of charcoal fabric has been chosen for the planning improvements and making sure how the tearooms will be developed but new silver-framed stacking chairs which they are carried though efficiently: for over a we can rest assured that the CRM heritage are brought out for banquets and lectures. year she has clocked in almost every morning will be closely guarded, and that the city, before the doors are open and spent much including the Club, will benefit from her Meanwhile the dining tables have been of the day behind the scenes, keeping a guardianship of an important asset. restained and repolished with hard sur- left undone. But at least the basics are in faces, and work is underway to restore place, and the Club’s seating is unlikely to the distinctive tables in the Gallery. upset the Health and Safety watchdogs.” Though the kidney-shaped ashtrays no The spending will scarcely be offset by Everything in the garden’s lovely longer have a place indoors, the hollows the recycling of some of the discarded where they sat are being retained, along items, but members who would like a Iain takes a well deserved seat. with the tracks of cigarette burns from a special souvenir of the Club can still take lmost 30 members and their guests smokier past. away one of the elegant dining chairs the seat, but if you can find a free one in salvageable condition just let Dan know turned up at Greenbank House in “Of course we would have liked to do designed for the Club when it opened more” Iain points out. “Since fewer than a over 100 years ago – for a donation of at and attach your own label. The chair will Clarkston to share a civilised picnic A fifth of members responded to last year’s least £25. Around a dozen have already come with a certificate or label proving its in mid-June. Again this year the sun shone, appeal, some restoration work had to be been reserved by sticking a label under provenance. the setting was stunning, food and wine delicious and more than adequate. We chose to pitch our trestle tables and foldaway chairs in the secluded garden furthest from the house, but each corner Sally speaks out of the National Trust for Scotland property offered delightful arrangements of flowers and greenery, and other visitors seemed istinguished writer and happy to leave us in peace. presenter Sally Magnusson Dhad a confession to make when she opened the Club’s summer exhibition – she is the non-artist in her talented family. While her parents and siblings enjoyed painting and potting, she stuck to the more abstract arts. Her main interest was in music and she particularly appreciated how it could enrich the lives of patients and dementia sufferers. She stayed in the billiard room long enough, however, to admire the work on show and talk to a number of the artists involved. 2 3 Buried Treasure Hazel Nagl RGI, RSW, PAI; Cranes on the Clyde Michael Moulder; Revelin Fortress II 9/50 Dubrovnik Jim Bankier; Thaw in the Hills Norman Kirkham RGI; Portrait of John Thompson ( Architect ) Pam Carter; Surf and Rocks Robert Kelsey DA, MUniv, PAI, FRSA; Boats at Aldeburgh Philip Spence; Boat Study he time capsule, more like a small attaché case than the Above, left, The President Jim S Davis DA, PAI, RSW, FRSA; Spring Morning Hamish Montgomery; White strand of the Monks, Iona traditional cylinder, contains articles reflecting the Club’s lends a hand to Provost Sadie T Docherty as the Capsule is placed activities and interests in 2014: The contents include: underground; and above, Celia • Original works on A5 watercolour paper by artist members are shown here.